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{{short description|English actress (1918–1981)}}
{{BLP sources|date=March 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| image = File:Joan Benham in Upstairs Downstairs.jpg
| image = File:Joan Benham in Upstairs Downstairs.jpg
| imagesize =
| imagesize =
| caption = Joan Benham as Lady Prudence Fairfax
| caption = Joan Benham as Lady Prudence Fairfax
| name = Joan Benham
| name = Joan Benham
| birthname = Joan Olive Benham
| birthname = Joan Olive Benham
| birth_place = Fulham, London, United Kingdom
| birth_place = [[Fulham]], [[London]], UK
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1918|05|17|df=y}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1918|5|17|df=y}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1981|06|13|1918|05|17|df=y}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1981|6|13|1918|5|17|df=y}}
| death_place =Westminster, London, United Kingdom
| death_place = [[City of Westminster|Westminster]], London, UK
| spouse = Martin Case (m. 1942 - 1981)
| spouse = Martin Case (m. 1942)
| relations =[[Olive Sturgess]] (cousin)
| relations = [[Olive Sturgess]] (cousin)
| yearsactive = 1940s–1981
| yearsactive = 1938–1981
| occupation = Actress
| occupation = Actress
}}
}}


'''Joan Benham''' (17 May 1918 – 13 June 1981) was an [[England|English]] [[actress]] best known for her portrayal of [[List of Upstairs, Downstairs characters#Lady Prudence Fairfax|Lady Prudence Fairfax]] in the [[ITV Network|ITV]] period drama series ''[[Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 TV series)|Upstairs, Downstairs]]''. She was the first cousin of [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood]] actress Olive Sturgess and was born in [[London]].
'''Joan Benham''' (17 May 1918 – 13 June 1981) was an English [[actress]] best known for her portrayal of [[List of Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 TV series) characters#Lady Prudence Fairfax|Lady Prudence Fairfax]] in the [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] period drama series ''[[Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 TV series)|Upstairs, Downstairs]]''.<ref name=bfi>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9f6c27ed|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190326084321/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9f6c27ed|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 March 2019|title=Joan Benham|website=BFI}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U3C5DwAAQBAJ&q=joan+benham+The+Encyclopedia+of+British+Film%3A+Fourth+edition&pg=RA1-PA1940|title=The Encyclopedia of British Film: Fourth edition|first1=Brian|last1=McFarlane|first2=Anthony|last2=Slide|date=May 16, 2016|publisher=Manchester University Press|isbn=9781526111968|via=Google Books}}</ref> She was born in [[London]] and was the first cousin of [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood]] actress [[Olive Sturgess]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XOOSvZexlEQC&q=joan+benham+cousin+olive+sturgess&pg=PA305|title=I Talked with a Zombie: Interviews with 23 Veterans of Horror and Sci-Fi Films and Television|first=Tom|last=Weaver|date=December 11, 2009|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9780786452682|via=Google Books}}</ref>


Although her career mostly centred on television, Benham began her career appearing on the [[West End theatre|West End]] stage in the 1940s and continued to appear on the London stage periodically throughout her career. She appeared on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] as [[Helena (A Midsummer Night's Dream)|Helena]] in the 1954 revival of [[William Shakespeare]]'s ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]'' opposite [[Patrick Macnee]] as [[Demetrius]].
Although her career mostly centred on television, Benham began her career appearing on the [[West End theatre|West End]] stage in the 1940s and continued to appear on the London stage periodically throughout her career.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theatricalia.com/person/1yam/joan-benham|title=Joan Benham &#124; Theatricalia|website=theatricalia.com}}</ref> She appeared on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] as [[Helena (A Midsummer Night's Dream)|Helena]] in the 1954 revival of [[William Shakespeare]]'s ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]'' opposite [[Patrick Macnee]] as [[Demetrius]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/a-midsummer-nights-dream-13339#OpeningNightCast|title=A Midsummer Night's Dream – Broadway Play – 1954 Revival &#124; IBDB|website=www.ibdb.com}}</ref>


Joan Benham appeared in sixteen episodes of ''Upstairs, Downstairs'', from the first to the last series, as Bellamy family friend, Lady Prudence Fairfax. Other television programmes she appeared in include, ''[[Doctor in the House (TV series)|Doctor in the House]]'', ''[[Doctor in Charge]]'', ''[[Father Brown (1974 TV series)|Father Brown]]'', ''[[The Duchess of Duke Street]]'', ''[[Doctor on the Go]]'', ''[[Just William#1970s series|Just William]]'' and ''[[Take My Wife (1979 TV series)|Take My Wife]]''. Her film credits include the ''[[Miss Marple]]'' movie ''[[Murder Ahoy!]]'' (1964), ''[[Ladies Who Do]]'' (1963), ''[[Perfect Friday]]'' (1970), and ''[[Carry On Emmannuelle]]'' (1978).
Joan Benham appeared in sixteen episodes of ''Upstairs, Downstairs'', from the first to the last series, as a Bellamy family friend, Lady Prudence Fairfax.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/473764/credits.html|title=BFI Screenonline: Upstairs, Downstairs (1971-75) Credits|website=www.screenonline.org.uk}}</ref> Other [[London Weekend Television]] roles for her saw her appear as Lady Loftus in the comedies ''[[Doctor in the House (TV series)|Doctor in the House, Doctor in Charge]]'' and ''[[Doctor on the Go]]'' and as Cecily Foyle, the friend of prison governor Faye Boswell (and a recurring role), in the drama ''[[Within These Walls]]''.


Other television programmes she appeared in include, ''[[Mrs Thursday]]'', ''[[Father Brown (1974 TV series)|Father Brown]]'', ''[[The Duchess of Duke Street]]'', ''[[Just William#1970s series|Just William]]'' and ''[[Take My Wife (1979 TV series)|Take My Wife]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=1325|title=Joan Benham|website=www.aveleyman.com}}</ref> Her film credits include the ''[[Miss Marple]]'' movie ''[[Murder Ahoy!]]'' (1964), ''[[Ladies Who Do]]'' (1963), ''[[Perfect Friday]]'' (1970) and ''[[Carry On Emmannuelle]]'' (1978).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/artist/joan-benham-p5339|title=Joan Benham &#124; Movies and Filmography|website=AllMovie}}</ref>
⚫
Her last role was as Melinda Spry in the [[British sitcom|sitcom]] ''[[Terry and June]]''. This episode, ''The Lawnmower'', was broadcast on 13 November 1981, exactly five months after the day she had died, in [[City of Westminster|Westminster]], [[London]], aged 63.

⚫
Her last role was as Melinda Spry in the [[British sitcom|sitcom]] ''[[Terry and June]]''.<ref name=bfi/> This episode, ''The Lawnmower'', was broadcast on 13 November 1981, exactly five months after the day she had died, in [[City of Westminster|Westminster]], [[London]], aged 63.<ref name=bfi/><ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC One - Terry and June, The Lawnmower |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02zy040 |website=BBC|date=13 November 1981 }}</ref>


==Selected filmography==
==Selected filmography==
{{Div col|2}}
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
* ''[[The Divorce of Lady X]]'' (1938) - Wearing a blue gown with a large crystal necklace (uncredited)
* ''[[The Divorce of Lady X]]'' (1938) – Wearing a blue gown with a large crystal necklace (uncredited)
* ''[[Maytime in Mayfair]]'' (1949) - Fashion Editor (uncredited)
* ''[[Maytime in Mayfair]]'' (1949) – Fashion Editor (uncredited)
* ''[[Saturday Island]]'' (1952) - Nurse
* ''[[Saturday Island]]'' (1952) – Nurse
* ''[[Mother Riley Meets the Vampire]]'' (1952) - Lady at Police Station (uncredited)
* ''[[Mother Riley Meets the Vampire]]'' (1952) – Lady at Police Station (uncredited)
* ''[[The Pickwick Papers (1952 film)|The Pickwick Papers]]'' (1952) - (uncredited)
* ''[[The Pickwick Papers (1952 film)|The Pickwick Papers]]'' (1952) – (uncredited)
* ''[[Innocents in Paris]]'' (1953) - Receptionist (uncredited)
* ''[[Innocents in Paris]]'' (1953) – Receptionist (uncredited)
* ''[[Dance, Little Lady]]'' (1954) - (uncredited)
* ''[[Dance, Little Lady]]'' (1954) – (uncredited)
* ''[[The Man Who Loved Redheads]]'' (1955) - Chloe
* ''[[The Man Who Loved Redheads]]'' (1955) – Chloe
* ''[[King's Rhapsody (film)|King's Rhapsody]]'' (1955) - Countess Astrid
* ''[[King's Rhapsody (film)|King's Rhapsody]]'' (1955) – Countess Astrid
* ''[[Child in the House]]'' (1956) - Vera McNally
* ''[[Child in the House]]'' (1956) – Vera McNally
* ''[[Loser Takes All (film)|Loser Takes All]]'' (1956) - Miss Bullen (uncredited)
* ''[[Loser Takes All (film)|Loser Takes All]]'' (1956) – Miss Bullen (uncredited)
* ''[[Dry Rot (film)|Dry Rot]]'' (1956) - Blonde
* ''[[Dry Rot (film)|Dry Rot]]'' (1956) – Blonde
* ''[[It's Great to Be Young (1956 film)|It's Great to Be Young]]'' (1956) - Mr. Routledge's Companion (uncredited)
* ''[[It's Great to Be Young (1956 film)|It's Great to Be Young]]'' (1956) – Mr. Routledge's Companion (uncredited)
* ''[[A Night to Remember (1958 film)|A Night to Remember]]'' (1958) - Lottie (uncredited)
* ''[[A Night to Remember (1958 film)|A Night to Remember]]'' (1958) – Lottie (uncredited)
* ''[[The Whole Truth (1958 film)|The Whole Truth]]'' (1958) - Party Guest
* ''[[The Whole Truth (1958 film)|The Whole Truth]]'' (1958) – Party Guest
* ''[[The Heart of a Man]]'' (1959) - Grace (uncredited)
* ''[[The Heart of a Man]]'' (1959) – Grace (uncredited)
* ''[[The Crowning Touch]]'' (1959) - Daphne
* ''[[The Crowning Touch]]'' (1959) – Daphne
* ''[[The Bridal Path (film)|The Bridal Path]]'' (1959) - Barmaid
* ''[[The Bridal Path (film)|The Bridal Path]]'' (1959) – Barmaid
* ''[[Desert Mice]]'' (1959) - Una O'Toole
* ''[[Desert Mice]]'' (1959) – Una O'Toole
* ''[[The Grass Is Greener]]'' (1960) - Hairdresser's Receptionist (uncredited)
* ''[[The Grass Is Greener]]'' (1960) – Hairdresser's Receptionist (uncredited)
* ''[[I Thank a Fool]]'' (1962) - Restaurant Manager
* ''[[I Thank a Fool]]'' (1962) – Restaurant Manager
* ''[[The V.I.P.s (film)|The V.I.P.s]]'' (1963) - Miss Potter
* ''[[The V.I.P.s (film)|The V.I.P.s]]'' (1963) – Miss Potter
* ''[[Tamahine]]'' (1963) - Mrs. O'Shaugnessy
* ''[[Tamahine]]'' (1963) – Mrs. O'Shaugnessy
* ''[[Ladies Who Do]]'' (1963) - Miss Pinsent
* ''[[Ladies Who Do]]'' (1963) – Miss Pinsent
* ''[[Murder Ahoy!]]'' (1964) - Matron Alice Fanbraid
* ''[[Murder Ahoy!]]'' (1964) – Matron Alice Fanbraid
* ''[[The Wild Affair]]'' (1964) - Assistant
* ''[[The Wild Affair]]'' (1964) – Assistant
* ''[[The Limbo Line]]'' (1968) - Lady Faraday
* ''[[The Limbo Line]]'' (1968) – Lady Faraday
* ''[[Arthur? Arthur!]]'' (1969) - Mrs. Payne
* ''[[Arthur? Arthur!]]'' (1969) – Mrs. Payne
* ''[[The Magic Christian (film)|The Magic Christian]]'' (1969) - Socialite in Sotheby's
* ''[[The Magic Christian (film)|The Magic Christian]]'' (1969) – Socialite in Sotheby's
* ''[[Perfect Friday]]'' (1970) - Miss Welsh
* ''[[Perfect Friday]]'' (1970) – Miss Welsh
* ''[[Tales of Beatrix Potter]]'' (1971) - Nurse
* ''[[The Tales of Beatrix Potter]]'' (1971) – Nurse
* ''[[Hardcore (1977 film)|Hardcore]]'' (1977) - Norma Blackhurst
* ''[[Hardcore (1977 film)|Hardcore]]'' (1977) – Norma Blackhurst
* ''[[Rosie Dixon - Night Nurse]]'' (1978) - Sister Tutor
* ''[[Rosie Dixon – Night Nurse]]'' (1978) – Sister Tutor
* ''[[The Greek Tycoon]]'' (1978) - Lady Allison
* ''[[The Greek Tycoon]]'' (1978) – Lady Allison
* ''[[Carry On Emmannuelle]]'' (1978) - Cynical Lady
* ''[[Carry On Emmannuelle]]'' (1978) – Cynical Lady
{{div col end}}
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
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[[Category:Actresses from London]]
[[Category:Actresses from London]]
[[Category:20th-century English actresses]]
[[Category:20th-century English actresses]]
[[Category:Actors from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham]]

[[Category:People from Fulham]]

{{England-tv-actor-stub}}
{{UK-tv-actor-1910s-stub}}

Latest revision as of 23:21, 15 March 2024

Joan Benham
Joan Benham as Lady Prudence Fairfax
Born
Joan Olive Benham

(1918-05-17)17 May 1918
Fulham, London, UK
Died13 June 1981(1981-06-13) (aged 63)
Westminster, London, UK
OccupationActress
Years active1938–1981
SpouseMartin Case (m. 1942)
RelativesOlive Sturgess (cousin)

Joan Benham (17 May 1918 – 13 June 1981) was an English actress best known for her portrayal of Lady Prudence Fairfax in the ITV period drama series Upstairs, Downstairs.[1][2] She was born in London and was the first cousin of Hollywood actress Olive Sturgess.[3]

Although her career mostly centred on television, Benham began her career appearing on the West End stage in the 1940s and continued to appear on the London stage periodically throughout her career.[4] She appeared on Broadway as Helena in the 1954 revival of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream opposite Patrick Macnee as Demetrius.[5]

Joan Benham appeared in sixteen episodes of Upstairs, Downstairs, from the first to the last series, as a Bellamy family friend, Lady Prudence Fairfax.[6] Other London Weekend Television roles for her saw her appear as Lady Loftus in the comedies Doctor in the House, Doctor in Charge and Doctor on the Go and as Cecily Foyle, the friend of prison governor Faye Boswell (and a recurring role), in the drama Within These Walls.

Other television programmes she appeared in include, Mrs Thursday, Father Brown, The Duchess of Duke Street, Just William and Take My Wife.[7] Her film credits include the Miss Marple movie Murder Ahoy! (1964), Ladies Who Do (1963), Perfect Friday (1970) and Carry On Emmannuelle (1978).[8]

Her last role was as Melinda Spry in the sitcom Terry and June.[1] This episode, The Lawnmower, was broadcast on 13 November 1981, exactly five months after the day she had died, in Westminster, London, aged 63.[1][9]

Selected filmography

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Joan Benham". BFI. Archived from the original on 26 March 2019.
  2. ^ McFarlane, Brian; Slide, Anthony (16 May 2016). The Encyclopedia of British Film: Fourth edition. Manchester University Press. ISBN 9781526111968 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ Weaver, Tom (11 December 2009). I Talked with a Zombie: Interviews with 23 Veterans of Horror and Sci-Fi Films and Television. McFarland. ISBN 9780786452682 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ "Joan Benham | Theatricalia". theatricalia.com.
  5. ^ "A Midsummer Night's Dream – Broadway Play – 1954 Revival | IBDB". www.ibdb.com.
  6. ^ "BFI Screenonline: Upstairs, Downstairs (1971-75) Credits". www.screenonline.org.uk.
  7. ^ "Joan Benham". www.aveleyman.com.
  8. ^ "Joan Benham | Movies and Filmography". AllMovie.
  9. ^ "BBC One - Terry and June, The Lawnmower". BBC. 13 November 1981.
[edit]
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